Targeting a low-carbon economy: Veolia at the OECD Forum

This Forum, held in Paris, focuses on the following topic this year "Investing in the Future: People, Planet, Prosperity". Veolia contributes to three sessions[1] and confirms its commitment to and support for the initiatives of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

In view of the COP21, combined with OECD initiatives, Veolia is taking up position for a solid and predictable carbon price, as it could promote the large-scale development of a low-carbon economy. Veolia directs investment towards energy efficiency and renewable energies and encourages the circular usage of resources as alternatives to fossil fuels.

Thanks to its "Ressourcing the world" mission, Veolia intends to contribute to solid low-carbon development. By deploying existing adaptation and attenuation solutions now, humanity could contain the global temperature rise under the 2°C threshold to avoid more large-scale climate change. In this way, we may be able to guarantee the future of humanity, the planet and economic growth.

Debates at this Forum, bringing together over 200 speakers, will provide input for the Ministerial meeting between member countries of the OECD. These debates will focus on four topics: investment (particularly investment relating to the Sustainable development goals, to be discussed by the UN in September), society, sustainability and prosperity.

While the international community is preparing the COP21, how can we overcome the lack of ambition and poorly aligned regulatory frameworks with an ambitious climate policy? In order to mobilise citizens, governments and companies and reorientate our economies towards low-carbon policies, participants are sharing their ideas and suggestions for transformations in view of the COP21.

Over the next 20 years, we must invest infrastructures to reduce the current emission trajectories and attract private financing for a predictable policy framework offering guarantees. Climate action also requires more dialogues and innovations, and new financing mechanisms; as such elements to move progressively towards a low-carbon economy.

According to the OECD, better water governance, involving all stakeholders, could improve the management of water-related risks, using innovative financing and technologies. This is a critical matter, whose urgency is still sometimes underestimated. This topic will be at the heart of the debates on the Sustainable development goals.